MSC ZOE CONTAINER SPILL - CARGO SITUATION

In relation to voyage FS848W, and further to our statement of 2 January, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company would like to update you on the cargo situation following the container spill from MSC Zoe in the North Sea.

After being caught in heavy weather, MSC Zoe subsequently proceeded to Bremerhaven and was secured at the terminal. The ship was relatively undamaged from the incident and is operational.

Our surveyors are coordinating with the terminal operator and we received clearance from port authorities for the discharge of containers. That discharge started on 4 January.

Depending on the length of the operation, MSC will decide in the coming days, once we have more clarity, whether the ship will sail on with the cargo on board, or transship the cargo to another vessel in Bremerhaven.

We will update customers in due course on this point.

We are in the process of compiling a detailed summary of the numbers of lost or damaged containers and we will communicate this to our customers in the coming days.

This was a significant incident and we appreciate the support of our customers. In return, MSC will strive to account for lost or damaged cargo, and deliver the cargo in thousands of containers which remain in good condition, as quickly as possible.

We are also continuing to update the public in the Netherlands and Germany via the media on the progress of the clean-up operation on the coastlines and in the waters of these countries.

MSC will ensure that customers who seek further information receive direct communications in the coming days.